The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-05-22
church without y,ur lettin' the rooms to tramps,

\
goin' back into the country; and so we
made it I'D after fashion. But she never put
trust in Mis- Snow. in Dolly either, from
that day till she married the PHOTOGRAPHER.
Simpson, round on Cedar street, and had twins,
and then she kind O. forgot her grudre
well, the next day the new boarders came
bright and early; ard | had the little room all
ready for em, with fresh sheets and towels, and
water in the pitcher and | put rockin' chair
by the winder, and hung up palntIn which the
Orienta Tea Company give me for buyin some
of their tea, and real pretty paintln 1t was. as
gay and cheerful anything could be, with
green medder choek full of flowers. and fruit and
birds. and a fountain playin' at one side. and
marble fence across the other. with peacock
struttin' atop of it, and In the center
pretty girl in a pink dress dancin; ana young
some steps and playin' banjo There's more
in that picture, more roses, and different kinds
of fruit, and striped shawls, and secn, that
ever see in ary other Its hangin' up stairs
now. think sight of it
We'll Jane she see me takin' it down from
the back parlor and she kind o shifted. but
didn't say nothin' and l hung it up over the
washstand, aud thinks /:
! off that don't cheer EN-, nothin' WILL
"Wel they come in time for breakfast, with
| middlin- sized trunk brought oy the express: and
| Mis- Snow she come down to the table, as modest
and quiet lookin' as an old brown hen. a heap
more iady-like appearin' than Mis- Savage, who
| set opposite her, with her wrapper fit for the
| wash-tub and her crimpin'pins still in; poor
| creetur she had a sick baby, and Mr.. Savage as
meat-ax; but they was respectable
enough. o, yes, they had the best rooms in the
house.
| "As for Mis- Snow she wore a plain, black
gown and linen collar and her hair, sech
sight of hair! as shiny and brown as the inside
] of a chestnut bnrr. all braided tight and wound,
! and wound and wound around her head from
the back of her neck to within an inch OF her
/ forehead twas most TOO much to be pretty, and
| Jest smooth satin; her eyes was the color
! of her hair. and wonderful big and bright. and
| her thin cheeks red and pale by turns. She was
| an uncommon nice looking woman, to my think
| in and Dolly, as sweet and rosy as an apple
| blossom in Nav
II said good mornin'.' and introduced 'em to
the Savages, and to Mr.. Jones. the dentist, and
to the young clerks from the Baldwins nice
quiet young men they was, too, and then pre-
scented EN- Jane, and took particular notice
weddn' ring respectable as old Mis- Deacon
fuckers, any day. / smiled kind o triumphant
at Jane bat she never give in grain Jest set to
the table a heipin' the stewed potatoes, as prlm
as dish
way their young ones behave to the table. and |
declare amt never a child use a knife and
fork better than that child did, and grabbin'.
teasn. nor sloppin' at all She was as well
behaved little gal as ever come into my house;
and ner ma as quiet an lnoHenslye as weaned
lamb
.'She come up to after breakfast, and says
she:
:. Mis- Dodd I'm obliged to be away all day
earniu' my ivn. shan't be here to lunch. and
l have to out again after dinner; but Dolly's
used to it, she'll be good, she won't be no trouble
to nobody
1.-The landr says I, you don't look fit to work
in store that way thought of course twas
store. I'm sorry you have TO; but don't be no.
ways anxious about Dolly. we'll get along first
rate together.
II was in hopes she'd tell me where twas she
worked, but she didn't; and jest put her up |
some bread and cold meat. and doughnuts and |
pickles in a napkin for lunch. and didn't ask no |
questions that time. But concluded she was I
employed in one of them big fancy stores. whore |
the wome stand up all day under them blazin' |
electric lights. and ! pited her.
"As for Dolly, she follered her ma to the front |
and kiacad har nh a m M
then stood the steps a-wavin her mite of
hand, and calm good bye. mamma. goodbye. |
mamma as long as she could soc the last rag OF
her dress.
Il watched EN- out of the basement winder.
aud ART ashamed to say wiped my eyes TO
see EN- so lovin' and sech good friends. 1t does
seem sometimes if the Lord had queer ideas
about children, sendin' EN- by the dozen to
poor shiftless folk and not one to a steady old
soul with comfortable home like me. But |
there, if my Wilhelmina Maria had lived I'd
never had Dolly.
Jane a sniffin, and she says to me:
you've took cold In your head, a standin' at
open doors. and you'll be out with that
child taggin' after you all day
But / let her scold. didn't say nothin'. /
knew should take a sight of comfort with the
little thing if she turned out she promised;
and called her in and showed her the old cat
and kittens. They were about three weeks old,
them kittens. the cunningest little creeturs you
ever see. l did mean to have that batch drowned,
but when l see the old cat set up. purrin'
and loIlin' back in her basket, proud and
happy any Christian with her babies, hadn't
the heart to disturb 'em; and after Dolly come 1
was glad of it. She did have such frolics with
en- as playful and gentle as any little puss her
self
.'She was the hardest little gal ever knew.
She wiped the spoons, and busted the chairs, and
watered the plants. and would have set the
table if I'd have let her. and talkin' all the
time cheerful. mostly about her ma; twas
mamma this, and mamma that all day long.
Then she told me how tired she was of stayin' at
that house where they'd been, how she warn't
let come into the parlor nor into the back yard;
and she'd Jest set all the time in their room and
try to play with what few things she had, the
brave little soul! and folks was cross and rude
There, sir. don't take its all over long
She didn't have more sech times you may de-
pend.
''Well, you see, we got to be the best of friends
right off. Dolly d set in my lap by the hour to-
gether aud she took maps on my bed. and went |
out walkin' with me; and 1 taught her to sew
patchwork, and bought her little primer, and
she learned to spell cat the first thing, as quick
as flash; and then went to work and dressed
a doll for her-and was as handy about il
old maid. too-but when twas done l set it at
the foot of her bed for her to find in the mornin,
and didn't she come a-patterin down In her
night dress and fling her arms around my neck,
and the doll all Rugged up between US, and me
as excited and pleased as an old hen with one
chicken.
mo. sir. didn't feel noways sorry I'd taken
EN- to board. but only glad-except for one
thing Mis- Snow never would let on what she
was doin' all day. and half the night. too. And
Jane kept sneern about it. It troubled me
Dreadful, and tried to think what it could be to
|
store twas she worked in, and she said 'twasnt
no store. And twasn't sewin' for her fore
8 nger was as white and smooth your own;
and 'twasn't teachin. for ali the children was in
bed long before she'd get home. And twasnt
actin in theater, for then she'd a been to homo
more day times. But whatever twas that she
lone, could see twas KILN her; she grew
avery day more and more like shadder and
her eyes bigger and bigger, and her face thinner.
She paid her board, though. regular every week,
Ind hadn't real fault to find; only felt {
ineasy, and twas plain she didn't feel noways
proud of be- employment
Sundays she'd walk out with Dolly, and some ,
lines she'd go to afternoon service with me. s
But 'twarn't long before she begun to lie
Town instead of walkin'. and then she give up
,oin' TO church. She stayed in her room mostly
md Dolly waited her like faithful little dog,
etchn and carryin, and never spilin' drop of
ca or broth. and always kind O. quiet and r
vatchful. It's curious about some children, how {
much thew undarstand and hazz WI se and still